[Marv D]

Look I know it's been hashed in previous toipcs but I'm having a hard time being convinced to stick with the TH400 over the PG I just had built. I guess my concern is you just don't see many n/a 8.x second door cars with anything but a PG (looking for those of you who are to chime in)

Heres what were working with. The car is an all steel 64 Chevy II with glass windscreens, 2990 pounds with driver and fuel (usually a little heavier after Thanskgiving dinner ) But the floor is gone and the body sits on a tube chassis from the firewall back w/ 4link and am in the process of adding an AJE tube chassis, strut front frame. (Will loose about 200-250 pounds there)
It's a n/a small block car (660horse) with a Th400, 8" convertor that brake stalls at 5000-5100 and 4.56 gear, 14x32 slicks. The car runs 10.0 in 4200' air with a 1.32 sixty on the rear tires. The thing will hook in a car wash and,,,, in fact 'hook' has become a problem putting the car on the bumper and making the 1-2 shift about 100' out with the skinnies 6' in the air. The current suspension just isn't going to take much more of that. Either I'm dragging the bumper or dragging the oil pan. Makes for a pretty 'exciting' ride so I'm sitting out the rest of the season to add the new strut front frame and wheelie bars,,, along with some serious engine package changes.

I would have to screw up pretty bad to not make 800-825HP with the new combination, I'm loosing around 200-250 pounds off the nose of a car that already has a wheelstand problem and adding around 150+ HP.
I had a local build me a Dedenbear case PG w/ 1.80 gear set so cost of changing to PG is just a d/s and yokes and moving the trans cross member. Stepping up into the high 140mph range Im looking at changing to a 4.11 gear so that's where my delima starts....
A 2700ish pound door car w/ 4.11 gears is going to be pretty lazy with a PG through the 330 light is it not???? I need to keep the rpm's at 7000 - 7200 or less on the top end so the gear is kinda fixed. But I'm just trying to figure out if I'm going to be able to get the car up on the tire for traction and good short times with a PG. Or if I should just stick with the TH400 and hope I don't overpower the chassis and track.

Any ideas or thought from you guys running a 3spd in a heavier car like this????
TIA

 

[Hutch]

Im writing a letter here ,im a slow typer and it may take a bit. Any other opinions or theory's would be great.

I'll be back ,Hutch

 

[nos81bu]

first off 2990 is not heavy....
I know i run a p/g in my radial tire car to help off the line traction with stock suspension and radials...
I would think the 400 would be faster in your combination....imo

 

[jrsfast84]

i have a question too. i have a 84' 3gen.car, on stock susp., th 400, 8"-6000 stall, 440"sbc,(850hp) 12 bolt-4.30, in a 3225lb. car, running in the NMCA's Pro-Stock class, till this day - i have never ran a fully pass yet, it wheelstands like theres tomorrow, but did make a 180ft. wheelstand, pedaling it two or three times to go 9.38 @147, would a glide help me or hurt me, thought about changing first gear to a 2.00, to get out of the hole, without a wheelstand. thank you. any info. would be helpful. John Newman.

 

[nos81bu]

i have a question too. i have a 84' 3gen.car, on stock susp., th 400, 8"-6000 stall, 440"sbc,(850hp) 12 bolt-4.30, in a 3225lb. car, running in the NMCA's Pro-Stock class, till this day - i have never ran a fully pass yet, it wheelstands like theres tomorrow, but did make a 180ft. wheelstand, pedaling it two or three times to go 9.38 @147, would a glide help me or hurt me, thought about changing first gear to a 2.00, to get out of the hole, without a wheelstand. thank you. any info. would be helpful. John Newman.

my car wheelstands easier with a glide now cause there is more traction down there

 

[Hutch]

John, gear reduction will tame the car down in some cases. Now you have more power than the car can handle off the line. Timing controls can usually manage that problem well. If you take away all your ratio and then find out you don't have enough power to accelerate, you now have a new problem. If you have exhausted starting line power management and chassis tuning with no success then its time for a ratio change or possibly a converter change.

Take care ,Hutch

 

[jrsfast84]

Thank you, i'm going to call Lupo to see about getting a different converter.and i'm putting in a MSD Digital - 6 Plus, thanks again.

 

[Jim Monson]

If you have the cash buy a digital 7 plus. MSD PN:7531.

 

[jrsfast84]

Thanks, but i traded some old iron heads for the msd 6, its new in the box, but i'm going to look into the 7, mite be the better way to go.

 

[Hutch]

I would tend to lean towards the 7531 if possible and then you can also have some data logging capability.

Take care ,Hutch

 

[Mark Nealen]

Hi Hutch
I have a 454+nos bbc 84 camaro it weighs 3300lb with me. th400 with 2.481st gear & 373 gears out back and a 30'' tire. Converter stalls about 3800 on motor and 4800 on spray, I run heads up classes. I have had wheelie problems all year and was considering a p/g trans. I have tryed tying the front down pulling as much as 15 extra degreas timing out but nothing works car goes right on the bumper.

I am considering a th400 with a 2.1 ratio or a p/g. What Is your opinion on theas,How would this afect the RPM at the top end, I would like to be arownd 7500rpm thruw the traps. If I change to a 2.1 1st gear what might I run out back? I have a 400 now and would think it would be cheaper up front to go with the 400 but do not want to make a mistake here!

Also I have read that a p/g some times pulls the motor down and in some cases can causes detination.
Pleas any info or suggestions on this would be greatly apreaseated thank you mark

 

[Mark Nealen]

Hutch
I would also like to know if there are any lightining tricks that are worth doing to the 400 to make it comparable to a p/g on the internals.

Also like to know if you would be interested in making the changes to my th400 if i go that way?

Would like to know who you use for internal parts. I was looking at the gear set from ATI. Have you had any experiance with theas? :smt017

Thanks Mark

 

[nos81bu]

Hutch
I would also like to know if there are any lightining tricks that are worth doing to the 400 to make it comparable to a p/g on the internals.

Also like to know if you would be interested in making the changes to my th400 if i go that way?

Would like to know who you use for internal parts. I was looking at the gear set from ATI. Have you had any experiance with theas? :smt017

Thanks Mark

i like to know the same thing i want to do a 2.10 turbo 400 in my car too...

 

[Hutch]

Mark, If the first ratio is changed it alters just 1st and 2nd 3 rd is the same and the trap rpm will not change much. The 2.48 to 2.1 is a noticable change and will calm the car down for sure.
If the converter stalls 3800 on the motor I would think it will flash much higher than 4800 with the nitrous activated and this may also be contributing to your problems. What type of class do you run and what design of nitrous system are you working with? (fogger or plate).
There are some lightening options available but I need to know more about the combination and its uses before suggesting anything. Some pieces make the trans lighter and reduce rotating weight some are just for static weight loss. I have not seen any great gains in high HP cars with lightening in a T400.

I have a 2.10 gearset that works well for me ,its all steel design is slightly heavier than some other designs available but offers the durability required to run a heavy car.

Hope this helps ,Hutch

 

[Mark Nealen]

HI Hutch
Thanks for the reply You may be right about the stall on the bottle I never seem to have time to look down at the tack to see what its at on a bottle pass.
I run True street in the OSCA I was runing a nitrous plate setup last season And I beleave I will be runing a fogger this coming year. I was only hitting it with 225 shot all season. I could not control what I had with any more.
The car 454 10to1 comp. plate nitrous, 755hp with a 325 shot 7200 rpm at rear wheels. torque 706lb at 4700rpm at rear wheels. th400 with brake. 3300lb with me 315/60/15 drag radial best 60' to date with a 225 shot, 1.23 and aveage 1.30 most of the time on the rear wheels. 12 bolt out back with 373 gears, wanted to try 342 gears but found no one makes a 3 searias spool to acomidate this.
Hutch do you have a # i can reach you at? Thanks Mark

 

[Hutch]

Contact me anytime at 519-453-4318.

 

[Mark Nealen]

Hutch
I called the other day and Left a mesage. I will try again tomaro. So what do you think is this something you would recomend? Thanks Mark

 

[Hutch]

Mark, my back had a complete meltdown and I have not been at the shop or been vertical in a week, got numerous messages today and have started returning calls. I will be in tomorrow and try to call you back in the afternoon .

Take care ,Hutch